Professionals’ Perceptions and Practices

Interviews with Social Service Providers

This qualitative study explored 15 diverse social service providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding adult and adolescent domestic sex trafficking in Ontario, Canada to identify opportunities to improve the response to sex trafficked persons. The results provide details about the indicators social service providers rely on to identify sex trafficked persons, challenges providing care to sex trafficked persons in general and during the COVID 19 pandemic, and their current knowledge gaps.

Interviews with Healthcare Providers

This qualitative study explores the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 31 nurses, physicians, and social workers working in healthcare settings regarding domestic sex trafficking of adults and adolescents in Ontario, Canada to identify opportunities to improve the care of those who have been sex trafficked. Preliminary results suggest healthcare providers experience knowledge gaps in how to appropriately care for sex trafficked persons.

Survey of the Perceptions and Capacity of Canadian Professionals to Respond to Domestic Sex Trafficking

This national survey will shed light on health care providers’, social service providers’, law enforcement professionals’, and educators’ perceptions about sex trafficked persons and their capacity to respond to survivors’ needs. The results will highlight gaps in professionals’ knowledge and practices and whether changes are needed to how sex trafficked persons are supported within these systems.